Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews

²² At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.^{(A) 24} So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,^[a] tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me,^{(B) 26} but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.^{(C) 27} My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.^{(D) 28} I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(E) 29} My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all,^[b] and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.^{(F) 30} The Father and I are one.”

³¹ The Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human, are making yourself God.”^{(G) 34} Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law,^[c] ‘I said, you are gods’?^{(H) 35} If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(I) 37} If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.^{(J) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand^[d] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”^{(K) 39} Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.^(L)

⁴⁰ He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. ⁴¹ Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”^{(M) 42} And many believed in him there.^(N)

Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple

³⁶ Then Judas and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.”^{(A) 37} So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. ³⁸ There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins.^{(B) 39} Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes^{(C) 40} and fell face down on the ground. And they blew the signal trumpets, and they cried out to heaven.^(D)

⁴¹ Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary.^{(E) 42} He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, ⁴³ and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. ⁴⁴ They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned.^{(F) 45} And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the nations had defiled it. So they tore down the altar ⁴⁶ and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them.^{(G) 47} Then they took unhewn^[a] stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one.^{(H) 48} They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple and consecrated the courts. ⁴⁹ They made new holy vessels and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.^{(I) 50} Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple.^{(J) 51} They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.^(K)

⁵² Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year,^{(L) 53} they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built.^{(M) 54} At the very season and on the very day that the nations had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals.^{(N) 55} All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed heaven, who had prospered them. ⁵⁶ So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering.^{(O) 57} They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests and fitted them with doors.^{(P) 58} There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the nations was removed.

⁵⁹ Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.^(Q)